Myths and legends abound with tales of giants and their feats of exceptional strength, witches and their powers of good and evil, and the miraculous abilities of healers and medicine men. The past comes alive in this selection of stories about extraordinary Canadians who have lived unusual lives.

Like a kaleidoscope, the Caribbean world displays the vibrant colors of its diversity. Ethnic groups from four continents brought their customs and beliefs to this New World. The sheer number of African people brought to the Caribbean islands perpetuated through their spiritual vitality, the central role played by traditional religions in African life. Though they hadn't brought along the material support of their worship, they had buried in their memory other essential supports: memories of gods, of myths, rites, rhythms, tales, legends, proverbs, songs, dances, sculptures, all the fundamental vectors of their religious thought. Through a process of secularization, continuity, adaptation, creation, syncretism and synthesis, these elements helped vitalize the artistic, profane and sacred domains of Caribbean cultures.

An account of the emergence of the West Indian novel in English, this work provides valuable insights into the social, cultural and political background, offering concise and focused accounts of the growth of education, the development of literacy, and the formation of West Indian Creole languages.

“Powers writes action and adventure that Indiana Jones could only dream of.” —Washington Post “Tim Powers is a brilliant writer.” —William Gibson The remarkable Tim Powers—who ingeniously married the John Le Carrè spy novel to the otherworldly in his critically acclaimed Declare—brings us pirate adventure with a dazzling difference. On Stranger Tides features Blackbeard, ghosts, voodoo, zombies, the fable Fountain of Youth…and more swashbuckling action than you could shake a cutlass at, as reluctant buccaneer John Shandy braves all manner of peril, natural and supernatural, to rescue his ensorcelled love. Nominated for the Locus and World Fantasy Awards, On Stranger Tides is the book that inspired the motion picture Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides—non-stop, breathtaking fiction from the genius imagination that conceived Last Call, Expiration Date, and Three Days to Never.

This is a fictional island adventure story, based upon true events, written in an attempt to answer the question, What is it like to live on the mission field? As a missionary I have lived or visited the places mentioned. I have experienced these events once or many times. Stan and Marcy go to the sunlit beaches of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to pick up a boat and take it to Miami. Upon arrival in tropical paradise they find the boat had leaked and water was knee deep inside. Everything wood rots. The hull is fiberglass. The deck and cabin top are made of wood with fiberglass over the top. The frames and bunks and cabinets are decaying wood. It is going to take a major rebuilding effort. They decide that they can do it, if the owner agrees to pay for the materials. They learn the phrase Welcome to the Caribbean when things dont go the way they expected. And that is often. Stan seems to keep one step ahead of death. He is robbed at gunpoint. He falls out of a tree. He never forgets his fight with a Doberman, barehanded no less. Then there is the scary encounter with three watch dogs when he strays into their territory. Driving on the left is not as hard as remembering the steering wheel is on the right. Launching the boat is not the end of the life threatening events. There is the time he almost drowns, then the boat collision

The Caribbean islands have a vibrant oral folklore. In Jamaica, the clever spider Anansi, who outsmarts stronger animals, is a symbol of triumph by the weak over the powerful. The fables of the foolish Juan Bobo, who tries to bring milk home in a burlap bag, illustrate facets of traditional Puerto Rican life. Conflict over status, identity and power is a recurring theme--in a story from Trinidad, a young bull, raised by his mother in secret, challenges his tyrannical father who has killed all the other males in the herd. One in a series of folklore reference guides by the author, this volume shares summaries of 438 tales--some in danger of disappearing--retold in English and Creole from West African, European, and slave indigenous cultures in 24 countries and territories. Tales are grouped in themed sections with a detailed subject index and extensive links to online sources.

Strange Itineraries takes you on an unforgettable excursion into the strange and dangerous worlds of Tim Powers. Vengeful and cooperative spirits, mutant tomatoes, and the ever-mysterious Ether Bunnies roam these pages, treading paths both frightening and droll. This fully retrospective Powers collection also features three collaborations with James Blaylock, author of The Paper Grail and The Last Coin.